afther misthaking him for a good Catholic!"

"And what did he say, honey dear? did he think he could be afther
comforting the likes of us?"

"Thrath, and he did; it was himsilf that said niver a word when I was
spaking to him about it, but was afther showering a blissing upon us,
the dear sowl!"

"But what will the praste say? Biddy, sure he'll be very angry,
intirely."

"Faith, and it's no longer ago than the day afther yesterday, that the
misthress was saying if we confissed our sins with a right spirit, we
should be afther being forgiven; and now, Pathrick, I'm thinking we 'll
be afther getting married, and then there will be a plinty of time for
confissing."

"Och, honey, and that's the thruth for ye," said the assenting Pat, and
together they walked towards the cabin.

Winnie, putting that and that together, made up her mind that Patrick
and Biddy had become tired of a life of single blessedness, and were
seriously contemplating matrimony, which was, indeed the case; and
Biddy, having made known her desires to her mistress, who saw no just
cause why they should not be bound together in the holy bands of
wedlock, the next Wednesday was set apart when Patrick and Biddy would
be made husband and wife.

The day arrived, and Biddy, arrayed in her best snuff-color, with